Do You Wonder if Your Dog is Lonely? Here’s the Answer
Is this what you imagine your dog is doing while you’re at work? (Stocksy)
If you have a dog and also a job, chances are likely that you leave your dog at home alone for up to 10 hours a day. It’s only natural to wonder if your dog gets lonely or if they would be happier with some companionship.
When an email blast for pet owners suggested that a product raising funds on Indiegogo, a desktop fish tank called the EcoQube C, might be the perfect solution to help a dog feel less alone or bored, we had to wonder: does a dog need a pet?
The short answer, from Debra F. Horwitz, a board certified veterinary behaviorist, a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, and co-editor of the book Decoding Your Dog, is a resounding no.
Related: 7 Questions Vets Wish You’d Ask Them About Your Pet
Dogs are unlikely to consider any additions to the house to be their pet, Horwitz explains, but rather to see them as a companion animal. And they’re unlikely to care about having fish, because fish offer them no social interaction.
“Dogs are intrigued by things that move, things they smell, and things that make them mentally active. I would suspect there could be a few dogs who might find watching a fish tank to be a diversion, but I would really doubt they would consider the fish a companion, but they might watch the movement,” Horwitz says with a laugh.
Dogs, like humans, are individuals with their own unique set of preferences that can extend to whether they like the TV left on all day or would prefer the quiet; if they’d like a companion animal or would rather be alone; and, even whether or not a fish tank would enrich their life or be a matter of indifference (with the column stacked sharply towards the latter).
A better way to provide for a dog is to make sure they get exercise and mental engagement. Horwitz explains that the exercise doesn’t necessarily have to be highly physical, but should be tailored to the age and breed of your dog, with an emphasis on allowing the dog to smell while walking rather than plowing forward at a city walker’s pace. For mental engagement, she suggests exploring any of the many food puzzles and food dispensers on the market for dogs.
Related: How Exercising With Your Dog Helps You Both
“Every dog is an individual. When we look at what dogs do when they’re alone, most adult dogs do nothing…Even when you’re home, the dogs enjoy gathering the food rather than eating out of the bowl, because it’s a big part of what they would be doing if they weren’t fortunate enough to have us take care of them,” Horwitz says.
If you’re thinking about a companion for your pet, Horwitz urges you to take their individual needs and preferences into consideration. Simply dropping a new animal into your home is not going to resolve behavioral problems your pet may exhibit.
“Studies have tried to look at this but right now there is no evidence that dogs who are anxious when humans depart or truly have a diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder, is helped by getting another pet. In fact, we’ve had things go the other way,” Horwitz says.
Related: What You Should Know Before Adopting A Second Dog
If your dog exhibits anxiety when you leave them at home alone, consult your veterinarian or a boarded certified veterinary behaviorist. Horowitz explains that you need to find out if what they are experiencing is only a bit of emotional distress when you leave, or if it is more severe, lasting for the entire time you’re gone. In the latter case, they “really need intervention and a behavior modification program or maybe even medication.”
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